Things Are Not As They Seem
by legomylegolas
Summary: I took this story down once upon a time for revision but now it is back under a different title. It has a little bit of everything- humor, romance, action, angst, sadness, not to mention Oliver Wood and another unsung great character, Charlie Weasley!
1. Chapter One

Oliver Wood stood tall and looked straight ahead; he felt as if he were at a military camp. Emma Jones, the Captain of the Puddlemere United team, had lined up Oliver and five others and was pacing back and forth in front of them. She was a pretty girl in her early twenties and Oliver could tell that, like him, Quidditch was her life... her passion. He liked her immediately.  
  
He knew their names, he knew where they were from, what position they played, and what their preferred broom was. He had watched every game he could from the stands and the ones he couldn't make it to, he followed in the Daily Prophet. And now he got to fly with them, having been signed officially into the Quidditch League.  
  
The Captain's flashing eyes looked over her team fiercely. When she spoke, her voice was firm and commanding. "Team, welcome back... I trust you all had a good holiday but I'm sure that none of you will think about it again during this season. Quidditch has begun, therefore your personal lives are put on hold from the moment you enter the dressing rooms to the moment you leave the dressing rooms, clear?" Every member nodded.  
  
Jones studied the faces of her team. "I will remind you that when signed onto this league you knew exactly what you were getting into. While you are here, it is QUIDDITCH that is on your mind. You think QUIDDITCH. You breathe QUIDDITCH. If any of you have a problem with that, feel free to leave now." She didn't even wait for a reply. "Good." She pulled out her wand and waved it casually. A table and seven chairs appeared. "Now if you'll all have a seat, we can start strategizing." With another flick of her wand, a miniature Quidditch field appeared in front of them as well as seven tiny players who mounted tiny brooms and kicked off, zooming around. Oliver smiled as he spotted a two-inch version of himself, looking surprisingly realistic and very serious.  
  
"Now, I've thought of a couple new plays on the off-season that I think will really improve our team. We all know that our biggest rival this year is the Caerphilly Catapults and they have all been together for four years time now. We ourselves have a few new additions so expect some extra practices so we can all get acquainted in the air. We have a lot of work to do with our new Seeker and Keeper, which as we all know are KEY positions."  
  
Jones looked up quickly from her notes and glanced at Oliver and a girl to his left. "Oh, that reminds me... Wood and Morgan, welcome to the team." Oliver nodded in greeting while the girl called Morgan raised her hand slightly. Oliver glanced over at Morgan who smiled quickly at him and then turned her attention back to the Captain.  
  
Jones looked down again at her notes and absentmindedly introduced the others. "Chasers: myself, Merrell, and Farr." The guy to Oliver's right and a blonde-haired girl smiled towards Oliver and Morgan. "Beaters, Warren and Williams." Two burly boys grinned and raised their bats slightly. "Now, lets get started, shall we?"  
  
Oliver mounted his broom and kicked off lightly, hovering above the ground as Jones gave some instructions.  
  
"Now Oliver, don't be too nervous, I just want to see what you are capable of– you know, what I have to work with." She turned to the other players. "Merrell... Farr... go see what you can put past our new Keeper. Jane, be prepared because I'll want to see your dives next." Oliver glanced over at Morgan who nodded firmly. Warren patted the new Seeker on the back encouragingly._  
  
So Jane is her name_ Oliver mused silently. He hadn't had a chance to have a good look at this girl. She was actually quite pretty. Long auburn hair she wore in a simple ponytail, startling blue eyes, and her smile, which she flashed Warren at that very moment, it was... somewhat captivating. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Jones blowing her whistle and with that, he soared towards the hoops, determined to prove himself to Jones, the team, and perhaps impress a girl while he was at it.  
  
The rest of the team kicked off to watch. As Jane passed Oliver, she pleasantly said "Good luck!"  
  
Oliver, with a wave of his hand, said "Aw, thanks but won't need it." He cocked his head to the side and winked. Jane's eyebrows raised and she joined the others to watch him.  
  
Farr and Merrell began passing the Quaffle between each other, watching Oliver's movement carefully. Farr went for the left hoop and then quickly tossed the scarlet ball to Merrell who caught in deftly and flung it towards the right hoop. Oliver anticipated this and was there to block Merrell's shot. Jones nodded her approval. Oliver glanced up at Jane, giving her a sly smile. She watched him, her face expressionless. When Oliver blocked the second shot, he winked at her again. She rolled her eyes and looked away. The rest of the team, however, cheered.  
  
Merrell and Farr took another six shots each, none of which Oliver missed. Every so often, he would glance up at Jane to see if her expression had changed but she merely looked bored and avoided his gaze by engaging herself in picking lint off her robes. On the other hand, Jones was beaming at him as if he were he were her own son. He blocked the Mernicient Spiral. He stopped the Flitter Fling. And when he caught the Swivel Lift shot from Farr, Jones looked as though her face would split she was smiling so wide. However, when Oliver shot a triumphant look at Jane, she simply raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Excellent Wood! Wonderful use of the Starfish and Stick block and who taught you how to do the Double Eight Loop that well? Marvelous work!" Emma Jones exclaimed, flying over to him. "With that kind of protection on our hoops we'll do great! Morgan, you ready?" Oliver looked up to see Jane smile down at Emma.  
  
"Sure," she said, gripping her broom more tightly.  
  
Oliver leaned back on his broom and folded his arms, smirking at her. "Okay Miss I-Seem-To-Be-Bored-By-Everything, lets see what _you've_ got," he said under his breath.  
  
"Okay Morgan," Emma began. "I've heard rumors of your skill with dives but I've got to see if for myself. Now, go up as high as you feel necessary and show me what you can do." Jane nodded and began her ascent. She was at least ninety feet off the ground when she stopped. Oliver looked at her curiously. Surely she couldn't manage that great of a dive.  
  
She angled her broom down and took off through the air, her hair flying out behind her. A look of complete concentration was on her face as she flew past the rest of the team. Oliver dared not take his eyes off her as she dove towards the ground and he heard his teammates' nervous murmurs.  
  
"Pull up, pull up," Warren murmured.  
  
"She's going too fast!" Farr said to Jones. Jones simply swatted the air with her arm in a plea for silence as she watched Jane, transfixed.  
  
Oliver was sure she had lost control of her broom and hovered with his teammates, watching helplessly. Suddenly, mere milliseconds before colliding with the ground, Jane pulled her broom handle towards her and flew parallel to the pitch. An eruption of cheers followed. Oliver found himself clapping, amazed at this girl's skill on a broom.  
  
Emma was watching Jane sail back up towards them, tears glittering in her eyes. "W-W-WOW!" She stammered, taking her hands off her broom to clap enthusiastically. "Imagine her using that kind of dive for the Wronski Feint maneuver!"  
  
Jane glanced at Oliver and gave him a sarcastic smile and wink of her own. Oliver could only stare back in awe. A short blast of a whistle caused Oliver to tear his eyes from Jane and focus them on their captain.  
  
"Amazing work you two. Phenomenal. Now... the real work begins. Let's get practicing!"


	2. Chapter Two

Oliver pulled off his navy blue robes with difficulty and hung them in his locker. He lowered himself tenderly onto a bench, massaging his lower back. He could not remember ever aching so much. Someone plopped down next to him on the bench. Oliver glanced over to see Warren's broad friendly smile.  
  
"You okay there, mate?"  
  
Oliver's reply was a pathetic moan.  
  
Warren chuckled. "First day is always the worst. No worries, you're a great flier. Nice to finally have a keeper that knows what he's doing, y'know?" Warren's accent was distinctly Australian.  
  
"Thanks," Oliver said with a weak smile.  
  
"Never got to meet you properly. Matt Warren's the name. Been with the team four years. Nice to have you aboard." Matt stuck out his hand which Oliver firmly shook.   
  
"Oliver Wood. Just graduated from Hogwarts."  
  
"Hogwarts, eh? I went to Aussie's own Alkridge myself. Played Keeper there for four years. Found that Beater suits me better however."  
  
"Yeah, hittin' things always has been your forte, hasn't it Warren?" another voice said, laughing. Oliver turned to see the other Beater called Warren sticking out his hand, which Oliver shook.  
  
"Brit's own Scott Warren at your service. I came from Hogwarts too, though you were just a third year when I graduated. I remember you though, just made it on the Griffyndor team when I left. I played on Hufflepuff. Beater, of course."  
  
Oliver nodded. He knew Warren had looked familiar. "Yeah, I remember you."  
  
"I 'spect you're a little curious about the rest of these Quidditch Maniacs," Matt said. Oliver nodded, watching Jones talking with Merrell as she hung up her robes.  
  
"Yeah... I mean I know who you everyone is because I follow Quidditch like mad but don't really know the details."  
  
"Well you got Jonesy over there who seems tough but she's nothin' to be 'fraid of. Quite the sweetheart really... once you get her off her broom and back into reality. Canadian born she is. Great leader... great captain. A looker too, though she don't seem to know it. Had me and Warren here wide-eyed and jaw-dropped when she marched into our first practice. But she's taken, she is." Matt jabbed a finger towards the tall Chaser she was talking with.  
  
"Merrell?" Oliver asked, surprised.  
  
Scott answered. "Yeah, Will Merrell. Great guy. Real quiet type. 'Strong and Silent' his Lizzie likes to call him. Those two been makin' eyes at each other for ages, since they met at school years back. We're counting on an announcement any day now of the engagement kind. This is Will's last year seeing as next year he is off to work as an Auror for the Ministry. Passed the tests and all, real smart guy."  
  
Oliver nodded.  
  
"Then we got Juliette Farr," Matt continued. "Julie we call her. Nicest gal I know, except when she is playing the game. She gets mighty fierce up there on her broom, takes the game seriously. We got her from the French, though she's no hoity toity lass like those French women. Jules joined us two years ago and plays like a mad woman. Looks like she is still a bit riled up from practice. She gets that way." At the moment, she was brushing through her thick blonde hair so forcefully that small cries were escaping her. Oliver cringed.  
  
Oliver nodded thoughtfully. He searched the room until his eyes came to rest on Jane, who was using her wand to get rid of the mud stick to her robes. Oliver was still stunned at the treatment she had given him at the beginning of practice. Because she was a Seeker, he hadn't seen much of her during the scrimmages because his eyes were focused on the Quaffle and hers searching for the Golden Snitch. "What do you know of Morgan?" Oliver said, nodding her way.  
  
Matt shrugged. "Was planning to talk to her next actually. Pretty thing, isn't she? Amazing flier. Haven't seen one that good in this league since Viktor Krum."  
  
Scott nodded. "Jane Morgan. I met her last week actually. Cute one she is. Real positive. American girl. She's nineteen. So she's pretty young still, like you Oliver. Was Captain of her team at America's Knobbernix School for Wizards for four years, and a darn good one at that. Real easy going type. You should go say hello." Scott nudged Oliver, his eyebrows raising a couple times.  
  
Oliver rolled his eyes, yet couldn't help but feel tempted. Oliver had never gotten too caught up in girls. Quidditch was his love. Yet this girl obviously loved the game about as much as he did and his curiosity had reached amazing heights concerning her ignoring him. Yet he was simply not in the mood to be shot down again by this girl.  
  
"I don't have anything to talk to her about," Oliver said simply, focusing his attention on finding the practice schedule Emma had just handed out. He already had seemed to misplace it.  
  
Matt and Scott turned to each other in fake confusion. "Well, my heavens, Matthew, what on earth could two Quidditch loving lunatics talk about?" Scott asked in a high falsetto voice.  
  
"I do not know, dear Scottamous, we must figure this out at once! What could Young Oliver have to say to his new Quidditch teammate? Surely they could not speak of Quidditch."  
  
Scott gasped. "Oh heavens no. Not that."  
  
Oliver knew exactly what they were doing and he rolled his eyes at the thought of it. "I don't want to talk to her."  
  
"Come on now Ollie!" Oliver cringed at hearing the nickname his mother had used when he was little. "Give it a go then!" Scott encouraged.  
  
"Yeah, you're a good looking bloke, she's got to see that. Besides, I'm sure you got her all impressed by your skill out there. Keeper is tough and you seem to be doing it right. Hard position to fill that is. What've you got to loose?" Matt pulled Oliver to his feet and pushed him towards Jane Morgan.  
  
Oliver glanced back at his two new friends who were grinning at him, nodding. A smirk came across Oliver's face. He sauntered over to Jane who was just looking over the practice schedule. If she saw Oliver approach, she made no indication.  
  
Oliver bent down a bit so his face was more level with hers. "Hello there." She said nothing, just kept reading. He straightened. "Oliver Wood," he said sticking out a hand. Again, no reply. "And you are....?"  
  
Several seconds passed. "Jane Morgan, how nice to meet you," she muttered, flipping the page. Oliver furrowed his eyebrows, confused.   
  
"So Jane, you as beat as I am after that practice?" he asked, trying to make conversation.  
  
"I'll live," was her short reply.  
  
She certainly didn't seem "easy going" and "positive" as Warren had described her. Jane took this opportunity to look up, force a very fake looking smile, and turn to walk away. Oliver looked after her, shocked that she had just walked away, and then looked at Matt and Scott for suggestions. They made crazy motions with their hands for him to follow her, to go after her. Oliver jogged to catch up.  
  
"So, America huh? What's that like?" Oliver asked.  
  
Her eyes were still scanning the pages in front of her, though she looked up briefly as if she were pondering the right answer. "Far away," she decided and then dropped her eyes back to the schedule.  
  
There was a moment of silence as he walked next to her. He took a quick breath. "Is that paper really that interesting? You see, _I_ am trying to make conversation and _you_ are not being helpful. So perhaps I will turn the conversation to the paper you are so deeply engrossed in reading, the paper which I have not yet read, so that we may both be enlightened: you by your paper and me by your telling me about the paper." Jane stopped walking and looked rather pensive. _Finally! _Oliver thought. But she surprised him yet again by handing him the paper in her hands.  
  
"I'm finished with it," she said in a whisper. "Enlighten away." She grinned at him and walked away leaving him with a dumbfounded expression and a crumpled piece of parchment.


End file.
